In the late 1880s, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla began a conflict known as the war of the currents. The two inventors and industrialists battled over whether Direct Current (DC) or Alternating Current (AC) should be used to distribute electricity. Ultimately, AC’s ability to work with transformers to easily increase and reduce voltage to transmit electricity across long distances won, and has reigned supreme for more than 100 years.

Industrial software expert, COPA-DATA has warned that Boris’ ambitious wind power plans must not overlook critical investments in software. During the conference speech, the prime minister pledged £160m for a new scheme that he believes will ‘power every home in the country’ with wind power within a decade.

‘Range anxiety’ is a term coined to describe the worry of getting ‘stranded due to power loss’ when driving an electric vehicle (EV). The low power range of EVs is infamous and a reason the market has been slow to pick up speed. But, with the UK Government vowing to reduce emissions in cities, how can battery storage make EVs feasible for public transport? Here, Alan Binning, Regional Sales Manager at COPA-DATA UK, has exp...

Industrial software supplier, COPA-DATA, is launching a new webinar series for the energy sector. The IEC 61850 masterclass will help engineers understand how COPA-DATA’s software platform, zenon, supports power utility automation with multi-vendor systems. In these webinars, Pascal Schaub, Director and Principal Engineer of DT Partners in Australia, teaches how to comply with IEC 61850, without having to write a single line of co...

Could a village in the North East of England be the trailblazer for geothermal heat networks and geothermal energy? A 1,500 home garden village situated in County Durham is the first of its kind to be powered by geothermal heat from mine water.

In this article, Alan Binning, Regional Manager at energy grid software provider, COPA-DATA, examines the potential of bioenergy generation and why, to integrate this valuable energy source into the smart grid, intelligent technology is essential.

COPA-DATA has been developing software for the industrial automation and energy sectors since 1987. The subsidiary COPA-DATA CEE/ME has made a significant contribution to its success with its responsibility for market development and customer support in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East. Since its founding ten years ago, COPA-DATA CEE/ME has continually grown and generated a turnover of €4.3m in 2019.

The shift towards digital transformation in industry has already taken place. Manufacturers have increasingly been encouraged to invest in new technologies, with automation as a key technological driver. 2019 saw the trial of the first 5G smart factory in the UK, but what will 2020 have in store? As we look ahead to a new decade, Stefan Reuther, Chief Sales Officer of COPA-DATA, gives three predictions for industrial automation in 2020.

The latest version of the zenon Software Platform from COPA-DATA is now available. The independent manufacturer has made its automation software for the manufacturing and energy industry even more secure, efficient and user-friendly. Together with zenon 8.10, COPA-DATA is also releasing a new version of its zenon Analyzer 3.30 reporting and analytics software.

Britain’s electricity grid broke records in May 2019, running for seven days without coal power , the longest stretch since the Industrial Revolution began. In a rapidly changing energy sector, smart grid software supplier, COPA-DATA UK, is expanding its network by renewing membership to the Energy Industries Council (EIC) and joining NOF Energy and the Scottish Renewables Forum. 

Held at Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum, COPA-DATA will host its second annual zenon Energy Day on 9th May 2019. The event will explore how control and monitoring technology can be used to improve operations in the sector, through a series of talks from industry representatives. Attendance is free but spaces are limited, therefore attendees are encouraged to secure their space on the COPA-DATA website.

Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, smart meters and integrated cloud services are bringing new considerations for organisations in relation to hackers, cyber security and data protection. Here, Martyn Williams, Managing Director of COPA-DATA UK, explained how software is playing an important role in securing networks of IT and operational technology in the energy industry.

Energy storage isn’t just for those rechargeable household AA batteries. Improved methods of storing and distributing energy from the energy grid could dramatically improve the way the world accesses power. In fact, using batteries to store energy on a large scale could help create a more economic and environmentally friendly energy grid. Here, Jürgen Resch, Energy Industry Manager at energy grid software provider COPA-DATA, explains.

Almost half of manufacturers have fallen victim to cybercrime, according to the Cyber Security Manufacturing Report 2018, published by EEF. One of the biggest challenges for manufacturers is choosing from the range of products and services available to protect against these crimes. 

Alan Binning, Regional Sales Manager at smart grid software provider COPA-DATA UK, explores three common issues for renewables - managing demand, combining distributed systems and reporting.

Improved operations, a reduction in unplanned outages and better managed variations in market conditions; it's the idyllic aim of power leaders across the globe, but how is the digital twin concept making this goal a reality?  Author: Martyn Williams, Managing Director at COPA-DATA UK.

According to research from Barclays Corporate Banking, over half of manufacturers are reporting improved productivity thanks to the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. Despite this, two thirds state that they are yet to experience a Return On Investment (ROI). Author: Lee Sullivan, Regional Sales Manager at COPA-DATA UK

At Microsoft’s British headquarters in Thames Valley Park, Reading, software provider COPA-DATA, invited leaders from the UK’s energy industry to its zenon Energy Day 2018. The event, which was held on 24th Tuesday, April, welcomed industry experts and energy suppliers to address the current challenges the sector is facing — renewable generation, substation automation, IoT and cyber security.

COPA-DATA has presented new versions of its automation and reporting software with zenon 8.00 and zenon Analyzer 3.20. Users will benefit from a number of performance improvements, extensive functionality for smart factories and energy distribution, as well as predictive analytics calculations. As well as module and industry-specific extensions, the focus of this year’s release is adaptations to product infrastructure.

Managing remote power generation sites has its own challenges, not least in terms of the efficient monitoring of operations. Slovenian renewables producer, Gorenjske Elektrarne, has resolved these challenges using a novel and technologically advanced IoT solution which combines COPA-DATA’s software zenon with Microsoft’s Azure cloud services.